Garbage pickup, contract work dominate fiscal court meeting

PRESTONSBURG — Garbage collection and more curious contracting were among the topics discussed during Friday’s special called meeting of the Floyd County Fiscal Court.

As court members reviewed this month’s regular claims list, the topic of garbage collection and the recent lack thereof became a topic of conversation.

County Attorney Keith Bartley remarked on Waste Connections’ June claim, and said that next month’s claim should show a dramatic decrease.

“We pay them a huge sum of money,” Bartley said, “and there is significant portion of the county that has gone without garbage pickup for several weeks.”

Bartley said that next month’s bill should be prorated to show the lack of garbage pickup, and that savings should also be passed on to the people who pay the bills. “I assure you I will not pay half my bill for last month.”

Judge-Executive R.D. “Doc” Marshall said that Waste Connections is contracted for four years at a rate of approximately $162,000 a month. That contract is set to expire next year.

Lois Marshall took the part of the company, saying that they were “tremendously sorry,” and that they would be doing a proportional reduction.

Countywide garbage pickup has been virtually non-existent during July, with many residents saying they have not had a pickup in as many as four weeks. Bartley says the reason the county pays for weekly pickup is to keep people from dumping, and the lack of those collections only encourages people to dump their garbage somewhere.

There was also controversy concerning some recent contracted labor performed at the courthouse. Judge Marshall said that Kenny Stumbo, the courthouse janitorial manager, had been contracted to do some painting in the courthouse. Marshall said the work was contracted out because it had to be performed during the weekend.

According to court officials, Stumbo billed the county $7,000 for the project, which was to come out of coal severance money.

Bartley asked why Stumbo was contracted to perform work that appears to fall within his job description. “Why didn’t he do it on overtime, since that is his job?” Bartley asked.

“Maybe he didn’t want to do it on overtime,” Lois Marshall responded.

“I wouldn’t either if I knew I was going to get $7,000 for a weekend,” Bartley said.

Magistrate Hattie Owens and Magistrate John Goble also questioned the work. Goble noted that there was a lot of electrical work performed, and asked if Stumbo was a licensed electrician. Judge Marshall said he was not.

Owens asked why the work was not brought before the court. Marshall simply reiterated that it was coal severance money that needed to be spent.

Judge Marshall asked for a motion on the resolution seeking a disbursement of coal severance funds for the courthouse renovations. Hearing none, he made the motion, but did not received a second.